Business Lead in Gosport, Hampshire

Rowner Community Trust (RCT) is recruiting a Business Lead who will proactively contribute to RCT becoming a more effective and sustainable resident-first organisation and help ensure the quality of RCT’s delivery with/by residents. They will lead on business development, including profitable venue operations and income diversification, ensuring a friendly and high-quality approach to the community levy and help RCT become sustainable.

You will help ensure the smooth operations of RCT, including accessible and safe venues, HR processes, and supporting resident involvement. You will also work with the Chief Officer to provide timely financial and programme monitoring and reporting for sponsors, RCT Board, levy payers, etc., and help develop business cases/plans and funding applications.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate a willingness to be innovative and be able to lead on innovation and ensure cost-effective business processes, maintaining a contemporary resident-focused and ‘easy’ approach. We are looking for a motivated and entrepreneurial person, and we expect that the successful candidate would have a business management qualification (or equivalent) at a degree level, experience in cost-effective innovation, and a positive and can-do ‘customer’-focused approach, being able to work positively as part of a diverse team including involved residents.

This role is an opportunity to make a real difference, and we are open to candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, and we are willing to be flexible on largely office-based working arrangements. The annual salary will be £19,800, and we also offer 30 days leave (18.0 pro-rata) and an annual wellness day.

Application is by a 1–2-page letter outlining your motivation and key relevant skills and an up-to-date CV. This needs to be emailed to us by 17.00 on Tuesday 13th June 2026.

Job Purpose: Proactively contribute to RCT becoming an effective and sustainable organisation and ensure that organisational resources are available to enable the work of RCT with/by residents.

Key Objectives:

• Proactively contribute to the development of the organisation and positively lead on business development including profitable venue operations, a high-quality approach to the community levy, income diversification, and help RCT reach sustainability.
• Ensure the smooth operations of RCT to enable programme delivery by the staff team, collaborating organisations, and local residents including accessible and safe venues, HR, relevant regulatory compliance, and safe resident involvement.
• Provide timely financial and programme monitoring and reporting for sponsors, programme funders, levy payers, and the Board.

Key Responsibilities:

• Positively contribute to RCT organisational & whole team development.
• Be proactive on profitable income maximisation and diversification to contribute to the financial sustainability of the organisation.
• Lead on cost-effective innovation on existing and any new business processes to ensure that there is an ‘easy’ and cost-effective approach.
• Develop a proactive and structured approach to procurement and ensure that this is well specified and cost-effective and that a recognised ‘green’ approach is achieved.
• Ensure that there is a welcoming and inclusive approach to venues which support RCT delivery, achieve full resident involvement, and a measurable local impact.
• Ensure a proactive, structured, and quality assured levy payment process is operating with a good relationship with levy players, providing a regular and sustainable core income for RCT.
• Provide practical support to ensure effective programme delivery and monitoring including programme and financial monitoring and reporting to our funders and sponsors.
• Work with the Chief Officer to ensure that there is timely and reliable financial management information for the RCT Board and levy payers.
• Work with the Chief Officer to secure ongoing external investment in our core programmes and to deliver on a business case/plan for our venues and spaces.
• Lead on the smooth running of the organisation’s payroll, HR records, and a proportionate and enabling approach to the relevant regulatory compliance e.g. safeguarding, health & safety, GDPR.
• Provide occasional cover for the Chief Officer.

Key Requirements:

We are seeking to become a fully resident-first organisation. We are looking for a motivated and entrepreneurial person who is committed to creating a sustainable organisation which actively enables local residents to make a difference in their neighbourhood, including their venues and by leading the community trust. We expect that the successful candidate would have a business management qualification (or equivalent) at a degree level with experience in cost-effective innovation. You will need to have a positive and can-do ‘customer’-focused approach and be able to work positively as part of a diverse team including involved local residents.

Key Role Metrics:

• RCT achieves recognition as a sustainable organisation.
• New income and planned investment targets are reached.
• RCT spaces and buildings are generating a surplus and make a measurable positive local impact, including meaningful resident involvement.
• Regular financial reporting to the board and levy payers is achieved.

Pay: £33,000.00 per year

Benefits: Free parking, Health & wellbeing programme, On-site parking, Sick pay

Work Location: In person